10 Jobs With Surprising Salaries

Posted by Brent Furdyk on October 6, 2016, Updated on June 20, 2017

If you think you know how the salaries of, say, a paramedic compared to a New York City dog-walker stack up, be prepared to be surprised by the shocking salaries of these various vocations (as compiled from data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Glassdoor.com and other sources).

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NYC Dog Walker

Average salary: $96,000/year

If a dog-walker in New York walks eight dogs per session (the legal limit), charging $25/dog, twice a day, said dog walker would earn a comfortable salary of $96,000 per year.

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Actor

Average salary: $35,310/year

Not every actor is a zillionaire movie star. In fact, the average yearly salary of a working actor is surprisingly meagre.

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Anesthesiologist

Average salary: $195,697/year

While it may not seem as glamourous as some other medical specializations, an anesthetist in Canada earns, on average, just under $200,000 per year, with the job requiring a medical degree and four years of residency. Interestingly enough, the average anesthesiologist's salary in the U.S. is about $100,000 higher.

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Paramedic

Average salary: $36,000/year

A first responder earns substantially less than an MD (average annual salary: $175,929), and while an EMT requires a few years of training, a medical degree is typically not necessary.

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Psychic

Average salary: $41,000/year

This figure is either surprisingly high ("Can psychics really make that much?") or surprisingly low, considering a real psychic would be able to pick winning 6-49 numbers.

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Regional Pilot

Average salary: $22,400/year

Although the median annual salary for airline pilots in general is more than $100,000, this figure drops significantly when it comes to regional carriers, where pilots are notoriously underpaid.

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Master Sommelier

Average salary: $80,000 to $160,000/year

A master sommelier in a top restaurant can earn a serious salary, but aspiring sommeliers need to know that there's a lot of studying and wine knowledge to acquire in order to reach the upper echelon.

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Wal-Mart Store Manager

Average salary: $200,000/year

A source tells BBC News that the manager of a Wal-Mart in "a moderate-sized locale" can earn a whopping salary, in addition to bonuses based on the store's sales performance.

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Model

Average salary: $26,110/year

Sure, a supermodel or Victoria's Secret Angel can earn seven figures, but the financial picture isn't necessarily so rosy for the average model, who earns a minimum-wage salary from modelling.

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Prime Minister of Canada

2015 Salary: $334,800

The Prime Minister of Canada takes home a hefty six-figure salary, yet it's peanuts compared to the equivalent job in the U.S., where the Commander in Chief earns $400,000/year in addition to a $50,000 annual expense account, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and an additional $19,000 for entertainment.